Shaun Patton admits current All-Ireland format is 'intense'
Donegal had to go the hard way to win Ulster as they were drawn in the preliminary round, but won all four games to retain the Anglo-Celt Cup.
Patton, who had been a huge weapon for Jim McGuinness' side, picked up an injury in the final, which saw him miss the first two games of the All-Ireland group stages, a loss to Tyrone and a win over Cavan as Gavin Mulreany deputised.
He was back for the Mayo game as Donegal secured second in the group and a home tie with Louth seven days later, the 2-22 to 0-12 win over the Leinster champions secures a spot in the last eight of the competition, where they will face either Meath or Monaghan next weekend.
'It is an intense schedule,' Patton said after the game.
'For myself, I'm not running the legs off myself like the other boys are, but it's intense and you can't afford to be picking up knocks when it's week on week.
'But that's the structure of the championship, and there's no point complaining about it.
'I had a wee break to myself, so I'm feeling quite good and I'm delighted to be back in.
'It's tough to watch on from the sidelines but Gavin stepped in and, in my opinion, did really well. You look at the Tyrone game and it was a tough game to go into. The game was flat in general from our perspective so I'm delighted to get back in but we have a fantastic goalkeeper in Gavin behind me.'
On the game itself, Donegal failed to flatter in a first half that still saw them lead by 1-6 to 0-7 but they really got going after the restart and it was job done for the St Eunan's goalkeeper.
'The whole point of today was getting the result and getting to Croke Park for the quarter-final next week, so we're happy to get that box ticked.
'Obviously, it's the performances we'll have to look at, that first half we wouldn't be too happy with, but the job is done and we'll go on to next week and get the bodies right from now until then.
'We started reasonably well, but I don't really know what the cause of it was, whether it was poor shot selection, which cost us at the other end and we can't really let that happen.
'We were happy to get into half-time and we're happy with the second half performance but moving on we can't really allow a first half like that to happen.'
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Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Donegal v Kerry All-Ireland: Smoking guns, mind games and playing silly beggars
The mind games - ramped into overdrive in recent hours - may not be over yet as the official Donegal and Kerry All-Ireland final squads were released by the GAA earlier today. Last night Kerry named a squad of 28 players via their own County Board, rather than the 26 players that can be named in a Championship match day panel. This was almost certainly a move designed to keep Donegal guessing until the official GAA match day squads were released today. Donegal's decision to name a squad of 35 via their official social media channels this morning was another move in a familiar game of bluff, designed to buy a few hours and eat into the opposition's time to prepare their final moves. Team squads of 26 have to be with the GAA by 9am on the Thursday morning of the week of a Championship game. Two players in that 26 can be replaced if it's signed off on for medical reasons, with these changes only made public on the GAA website approximately an hour before throw-in. This leaves both Jim McGuinness and Jack O'Connor still able to change their squads in the coming hours and day, but neither will probably know if the other has or not until the afternoon of the game. Both managers have named all their big guns in their respective panels so drafting a returning star into the squad out of the blue isn't going to happen. But with Diarmuid O'Connor not on the bench against Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final, but on the bench here - with Conor Geaney losing out - it could mean two things. One, midfielder O'Connor's injury has improved significantly. Two, he might be chanced if needed because it's the last game of the year. And three, he's not fit and it's a bluff to muddy the waters a little for Donegal in the game of inches. O'Connor could yet be replaced on the bench, potentially by Conor Geaney, who started the All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Armagh. Conor Geaney and Dara Moynihan, who has missed most of the year through injury, were the two players named in Kerry GAA's 28 man squad last night (Thursday) but not in the official 26, in what seemed a strange move. Maybe Kerry are looking for Donegal to read something into it when there is nothing there. Donegal's decision to name 35 players is more in keeping with traditional GAA moves, thus recognising their entire squad effort. That means they effectively listed 20 subs as opposed to the 11 required for the match day programme, plus a stand-by list of four, which is not made public, but probably should be given the frequency of changes in recent weeks. Paul Geaney was in the Kerry squad for the Tyrone win after coming back from injury, but wasn't used. He's named on the bench again, but it wouldn't be a major shock if he started here, particularly given the goals he grabbed in All-Ireland finals against Donegal (2014) and Dublin (2023). Geaney's cousin Dylan is most under threat as Kerry most likely won't want to tamper with the big engines in their team, coming face to face with Donegal. There are certainly machinations and manoeuvrings going on behind the scenes though. By the time Kerry released their 28 man panel at 7.59pm on their social media channels last night (Thursday), their official 26 man squad would have been on the GAA's desk for a minimum of 12 hours. In Donegal's case, they released their team at 10.31am this morning (Friday), so their 26 man squad was with the GAA for over 25 hours. The reason the GAA give for not releasing the squads on a Thursday themselves is to give counties the opportunity to unveil the panels via their own social media channels for promotional purposes. Unsurprisingly, Donegal and Kerry, as tends to happen now, named the same sides which started thier last games - the wins over Meath and Tyrone respectively. And both could well start with those sides. Jim McGuinness has used big midfielder Jason McGee as an impact sub, coming in for Hugh McFadden. It's a tried and trusted formula and McGee would have been starting regularly before now across Donegal's 10 Championship games to date if McGuinness felt he was best deployed from the throw-up. Daire Ó Baoill is another option if McGuinness decides to go more offensive, but with Kerry's attacking prowess it seems more likely Caolan McColgan, who forced his way into the side for the Mayo win may start again to try and keep it tight early on. It's difficult to see any changes elsewhere with Ó Baoill and Patrick McBrearty both capable of making big impacts off the bench. Kerry's most likely switch would be Paul Geaney for Conor Geaney, but it's one Donegal would be acutely aware of. DONEGAL: S Patton, F Roarty, B McCole, P Mogan, R McHugh, E Ban Gallagher, C McColgan, H McFadden, M Langan, S O'Donnell, C Thompson, C Moore, C O'Donnell, M Murphy, O Gallen. SUBS: G Mulreaney, S McMenamin, O McFadden Ferry, E McHugh, C McColgan, A Doherty, P McBrearty, J Brennan, N O'Donnell D Ó Baoill, J McGee. KERRY: S Ryan, P Murphy, J Foley, D Case, B Ó Beaglaoích, M Geaney, G White, S O'Brien, M O'Shea, J O'Connor, S O'Shea, G O'Sullivan, D Clifford, P Clifford, D Geaney. SUBS: S Murphy, K Spillane, E Looney, T L O'Sullivan, T Morley, P Geaney, M Burns, T Brosnan, A Heinrich, T Kennedy, D O'Connor.
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kerry and Donegal player ratings suggest an outside bet for All-Ireland final
Ahead of the All-Ireland senior football final, our expert GAA writers have assessed the quality both counties possess. Kerry are favourites coming into the biggest day in the Gaelic football calendar but many have backed Donegal for glory since the start of the year under the stewardship of Jim McGuinness. Here, the probable starting players - and benches - are rated out of 10 with the combined tally giving us an indication as to who could take home the Sam Maguire. Or so we thought.. KERRY 1 Shane Ryan - 9 Ryan's greatest strength is nailing pressure short kickouts. Can kick short off both feet. Accuracy going long (and fast) is underrated. He's a serious shot stopper as he showed against Armagh with a superb save from Tieran Kelly. Very strong in the air. The one he dropped against Armagh last year was a rare blip. 2 Paul Murphy - 7 Mr Reliable. Kerry keep coming back to him and what a servant he's been. The only survivor from the 2014 All-Ireland win outside Paul Geaney. A Rathmore club mate of Shane Ryan. He's 33 now, but has all the football and won't give up. Can also get forward to score. 3 Jason Foley - 8 Pace to burn. He's had troubles at times with marquee forwards, but has the resilience and experience to stick at it and often comes out on top, or does enough. Kerry wouldn't start without him. Has the physique and power for full back and a very sticky marker. 4 Dylan Casey - 7 Casey has forced his way into the side this year. Had a first half to forget against Armagh, being stripped for a goal chance and backing off a kickout that led to a goal, but he's held his place. This is the Tralee man's fourth year on the squad. 5 Brian Ó BeaglaoÍch - 8 One of the most underrated Kerry players. Took a couple of hugely pressurised short kickout against Dublin in the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final win that showed his mettle. You don't lose that. Has defied ongoing injury issues to get himself right for Championship again. Well capable of scoring and now a proper hard nosed defender. 6 Mike Breen - 7 The fact he missed the emphatic Armagh win and was still brought straight back in to start the semi-final says a lot. Hugely athletic and quick enough to mark and drive forward. Plagued by injury in recent years, otherwise he would have been an established regular for a season or two now. 7 Gavin White - 8 Kerry's Gavin White ahead of the All-Ireland SFC semi-final (Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie) One of Kerry's very best. Has that relentlessness and pace to match anything Donegal have. His face has the cut of a serious athlete. His ability to pass and go makes him a serious goal threat. Often cuts the holes for the Cliffords and co to exploit. The skipper's hard runs have to be watched. 8 Seán O'Brien - 7 A relative unknown to most outside Kerry but they don't let many shrinking violets into the Kerry midfield. The Beaufort man, like Mark O'Shea, has taken full advantage of the absence of midfield duo Diarmuid O'Connor and Barry Dan O'Sullivan to claim a starting place. Gives that engine Kerry need to purr. 9 Mark O'Shea - 7 Only made his first Kerry Championship start in June, against Meath. His towering presence on kickouts has proven a weapon in the new game, breaking and catching ball. Will probably jump with Michael Langan. He's come out of nowhere, relatively speaking. A former basketball player, he is a nephew of coaching legend and former Kerry boss, Pat. 10 Joe O'Connor - 9 If there wasn't a David Clifford, O'Connor would be right in the hunt for Footballer of the Year. A nightmare to play against. Never stops, going box to box. It's clear how badly he wants it. All Star in waiting. Also a serious goal threat. Hit a stunning goal against Cork in the Munster semi-final. 11 Seán O'Shea - 9 Incredible attitude to go with his incredible accuracy from dead balls and play. Wasn't naturally physically, but brings that now - along with serious energy. Does the donkey work. His nine scores from nine shots against Armagh, for 0-12, was off the charts stuff. Jack O'Connor says he's the spiritual leader of the side. 12 Graham O'Sullivan - 7 O'Sullivan was outstanding in the 2022 All-Ireland Final victory over Galway so the occasion will hold no fears for him. You need a lot of football, brains and the right attitude to switch from wing back to wing forward, especially in a county like Kerry where this type of move is scrutinised heavily. Works all day and can score too. 13 David Clifford - 10 Kerry's David Clifford (Image: Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon) The three-up rule means he has no real weakness now. Teams can't run him up and down. Occasionally has pot shots but his range and back catalogue means he's allowed them more than anyone else. Attracts attention for others to shine. A 6' 4' Gooch built like a brick outhouse with searing pace in tight areas. His sheer power is frightening. 14 Paudie Clifford - 9 What a footballer and he brings that ruthless competitive edge with it. Doesn't mind letting lads know about it either. The ultimate heads-up football. Always looking to kick forward, and as good a foot passer as there is in the country - quantity and quality. Coupled with huge mobility, pace and silky ball carrying it make him a nightmare to tag. 15 Dylan Geaney - 7 A clever footballer who has slotted in well to the Kerry attack and can score goals. He's in his third year on the panel. Conor Geaney, who started against Armagh, is his brother and Paul Geaney is his cousin. They all play for Dingle. Paul's injury has helped him start and he's taken full advantage. Kerry Bench - 8 Paul Geaney and Diarmuid O'Connor are two big guns to have on any bench, but how fit they are is another question. Donegal will be fully prepped for the entry of both. Micheál Burns is capable of a big impact. Killian Spillane remains a dangerous scorer and Tony Brosnan is a proven option. Total: 127 Donegal 1 Shaun Patton - 9 Endured a nightmare first half in the quarter-final against Monaghan and while that is very much an outlier, it may give Kerry encouragement to go after him. But Patton, with the speed at which he gets the ball on the tee and accuracy from there, is arguably the best in the business. 2 Finbarr Roarty - 8 Donegal's Finnbarr Roarty makes a superb block to deny Louth's Peter Lynch (Image: ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty) The 19-year-old has taken to inter-county football seamlessly having only made his debut this year - and it would have come a year earlier if Jim McGuinness had his way. A strong tackler and hard runner, he has also chipped in at the other end, scoring 1-5 en route to the final. 3 Brendan McCole - 9 It's a virtual certainty that he will be assigned the man-marking job on David Clifford, and it's a duel that will likely be crucial to the outcome of the final. His task is so gargantuan that McCole will need cover from his defensive colleagues, but he is the best-equipped defender in the game to take it on. 4 Peadar Mogan - 8 An All Star last year as Donegal reached the semi-final but while he has arguably not scaled the same heights this year, his black card against Mayo being a low point, he is still performing to a high level and has got upfield to telling effect with 0-12 to his name in 10 Championship games. 5 Ryan McHugh - 7 He has been one of the greatest players across a very successful era for Donegal with five Ulster Championships to his name but, having arrived onto the scene in 2013, the All-Ireland is still elusive. Arguably no Donegal player deserves it more than the dashing wing-back, who may be asked to pick up Paudie Clifford. 6 Eoghan Ban Gallagher - 7 Has found his home on the half-back line at this stage having been employed at corner-back for much of his Donegal career, which has been hampered by injury episodes. Experienced player and a strong ball-carrier but may be vulnerable to being benched if McGuinness plumps for Caolan McGonagle. 7 Caolan McColgan - 7 Yet another speed merchant in a side teeming with them, McColgan broke into the side following the group stage loss to Tyrone, scoring a goal against Cavan. May have been down the pecking order after his club, Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin (Muff), reached the All-Ireland junior final but kept hold of the jersey once he got his chance. 8 Hugh McFadden - 7 One of the survivors from Donegal's last All-Ireland final in 2014, his debut season, though he didn't see action in the defeat to Kerry. At 31, not quite the force he was but will be entrusted by Jim McGuinness to do a job before inevitably being hauled ashore midway through the second half. 9 Michael Langan - 9 Comes into the final on the crest of a wave after a series of big performances, not least in the semi-final win over Meath, when he notched 0-4 to bring his season's total to 1-25. A huge talent who has settled at midfield this year having played much of his football from wing-forward. 10 Shane O'Donnell - 8 Not a prolific scorer but his best attributes bring a nice blend to the Donegal attack as his fingerprints are on the scores of so many others, both in terms of giving the final pass and his ability to break defensive lines with his ball-carrying ability. A player who has blossomed under McGuinness. 11 Ciaran Thompson - 7 His huge left boot has proven a very useful weapon in the new game, with his ability to kick two-pointers augmenting a tally of 1-22 in this Championship campaign. The only player to have been on the field for every minute of Donegal's 10-game run to this final. 12 Ciaran Moore - 8 Scored a brilliant goal in the semi-final win over Meath to go with his crucial strike in the Ulster final win over Armagh, while he also came up with the dramatic late winner against Mayo which showcased his athleticism and accuracy, not to mention his ability to come up with big moments. 13 Conor O'Donnell - 8 If Donegal needed something more after last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Galway, then O'Donnell has provided much of it having upped his game and become much more of a scoring threat with the 3-21 that he has notched across this campaign making him their top scorer from play. 14 Michael Murphy - 9 Donegal's Michael Murphy takes a free (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) Albeit he may have retired a bit too prematurely for most people's liking, not least McGuinness's, Murphy's legacy as an all-time great was already assured when he stepped aside in 2022. But now, given what he has brought to the team after two seasons away, he is embellishing it with one of the great comeback stories. 15 Oisin Gallen - 7 Looked poised for a big summer but made a slow start to the Championship and wasn't always on the starting team, though he is finding his best form as the Championship reaches its climax. The quality of his finish from a tight angle against Meath spoke of a man whose confidence is surging. Donegal bench - 9 McGuinness will keep us all guessing on what his starting team will be right up to the throw-in, and there's every chance that the likes of Caolan McGonagle will be in the first 15 yet. Whatever the combination, McGuinness will have strong options over his shoulder, led by captain Paddy McBrearty, Daire Ó Baoill and Jason McGee, with the bench contributing 0-28 across their 10 Championship games. Total: 127 The squads cannot be separated, even if the bookies have Kerry as marginal favourites. The draw is priced at 13/2 for those interested. Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Inside Michael Murphy's family life beyond GAA with wife Annie including dramatic Donegal return and game-changing job
MICHAEL MURPHY can toast his sensational return to Donegal by leading Jim McGuinness' men to the All-Ireland title. Murphy, who turns 36 next month, will look to spearhead his county when they face 6 Michael Murphy and Donegal face Kerry in the All-Ireland final Credit: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile 6 Michael Murphy came out of retirement in 2024, having dipped his toes into punditry with BBC Credit: Instagram/murphm95 6 His wife's name is Annie Credit: Instagram/murphm95 6 They got engaged in 2021 Credit: Instagram/murphm95 He was part of the team that last won Sam Maguire in 2012, when they were also managed by McGuinness. A lot has changed since then, however, with gaelic football operating under new rules that Murphy himself helped to forge. Meanwhile, he will be cheered on by his loving wife Annie and the legions of Tir Chonaill supporters who will be travelling to Dublin . Here, SunSport takes a look at his life off the pitch. Read More on GAA How old is Michael Murphy? Michael Murphy was born on August 4, 1989, making him 35 years of age. Originally from Letterkenny in After making his senior debut for Donegal in 2007, meanwhile, he won six Ulster SFC crowns - the first five of which were as captain - and the 2012 All-Ireland. His individual prowess has seen him become the county's all-time top scorer, as well as a three-time All Most read in GAA Football Is he married? He tied the knot with partner Annie Keeney at the back end of 2023. They did it in style too amid the beautiful backdrop of Florence, Italy . The couple . RTE GAA pundit embrace Tipperary captain Ronan Maher after his epic display toppled Cork in All-Ireland final What is his job outside GAA? He has a job befitting such a legend of Donegal sport as he is Head of Sport at ATU Donegal - short for Atlantic Technological University Donegal. Its campus is in Letterkenny. According to his He combines that position with running his own business as he has operated a sportswear shop for over a decade. His own college background comprises of a stint at DCU from 2009-2013 where he studied to become a PE and biology teacher along with a post-grad from Ulster University in 2020 in Sports and Exercise Psychology . However, Murphy also had a job that had a direct impact on what Football Review Committee Michael Murphy, who Chaired by ex-Dublin boss Kerry legend Mickey 'Ned' O'Sullivan, review committee chair Dr David Hassan and Ulster Council coach Philip Kerr were also aboard. 6 GAA Football Review Committee member Michael Murphy, second left, speaking during a briefing at Croke Park in Dublin Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile Former Connacht The group ended up recommending It meant that the game was set up nicely for Murphy's sensational return. Retirement U-Turn In November 2024, it was revealed that Michael Murphy McGuinness himself had He would change course ahead of the 2025 season and it paid dividends instantly as he won his sixth provincial title earlier this summer . 6 Jim McGuinness and Michael Murphy Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
